Any Colorado Whole 30'ers that started this week?

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Hello everyone! My name is Jennifer & Im living in Lakewood, CO. I am new to actually using this forum but have done Whole 30 5 times since 2010. I did my first one as a group challenge in my first ever CF gym back home in Upstate NY and now use it when I feel like my emotional attachment gets into a serious relationship with food without me realizing it! I am a Crossfit coach as a side hustle (since 2011) and work in marketing for a lawyers office by day. I just started another round on the 18th in prep for a weightlifting meet I am going to be in April and am sick of going off the rails only to try to cut 2 weeks out from my meet. It sets me up for a poor performance (shocking) and a loss of confidence on the platform because I drop 5lbs the day before and letheragy is an enemy of cutting weight for meets.

My emotions go hand in hand with my eating habits and I am horrible with anxiety and stress. I haven't been doing so well! Hence why I am here! I had set a date for the 18th long before I got to the point where I felt ready to do W30 again but of course the universe gave me the perfect timing. The Sunday before the 18th I was crying in my mirror staring at my reflection and the jeans that hurt my thighs from weight gain. Now, i am not overweight in gov terms. We all know how it feels to be very comfertable in your own body vs. feeling like you jumped into the movie "Men in Black" and put someone else's body on. That was me. Feeling like someone different was staring back at me and I didn't like it. I'm here to change.

I am in this alone right now and would love to know if there is anyone in here that resides in Colorado that may want to be my accountability buddy. I can't wait to connect!

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Hey guys! Nice to "meet" you! I am officially one week in and feeling better (finally). I was having pretty intense sugar cravings day 4 and 5 but it has subsided for now. Frank! You start your tomorrow! That's so exciting! Please check in and let me know how you are getting along.

@angledge- Thank you for being someone to lean on! How is your W30 going? I went Skiing yesterday at Copper and it's the first time I had to really plan ahead for food. It actually was the best day I've had in a while. Usually I leave the Mtn very tired (prob from all the blood sugar spikes I give myself with bars and diet cokes).

I always LOVE how a W30 makes me feel both mentally and physically, its the habits that are so draining while Im retraining my brain.

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Heya @Stackgrl! So far my Whole30 is going pretty well. I had a challenge yesterday - I was helping a friend make an IKEA run by driving them there in my truck. After they finished shopping, he & his son ate pizza & cinnamon rolls at the IKEA bistro. I just hung out & chatted with them while they ate, & then had my compliant snack in the truck on the drive back into Denver. But my awesome wife made my day yesterday - she did a Costco run & bought ALL THE VEGGIES, & also used our backyard smoker to smoke two whole chickens & four pork chops! I have meat for DAYS & lots of bones for my next batch of bone broth.

Ski days can be tough! I have usually relied on Larabars & Epic bars to get me through Whole30 days on the mountain. Also I eat an enormous breakfast before heading out.

Hey @Goal is -40lbs - I see your location is 10,000 feet - do you live in Leadville by any chance?

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@angledge- I discovered yesterday that Copper has Microwaves at each lodge! How awesome is that?! We keep our food in an insulated bag and usually pack our own lunches but this time I was left wondering "What can I eat if not a SANDWICH??!!" But I had roasted a whole chicken and shredded it the night prior, brought an RX Bar (blueberry), apples, and almond butter. I ate on the way up (my scrambled eggs and bacon) then discovered the microwaves! I was so stoked! Next weekend I can bring regular meal prep and just heat them up in the micro! I'm pretty pumped abiut that. Its the first time I left ther Mountain feeling like I had some energy to spare!

Kudos on the IKEA run with your friends. I have never been yet and prob wont vewnture there for that exact reason. LOL, I dont like being stuck someplace but more work is very much like that cafeteria. Always something tempting sitting around.

Ps- Sounds like I need to come over for smoked meats on Sundays instead of Skiing! *YUM

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Yep, starting tomorrow (after tonight's Avs game at Pepsi Center.) An engineering firm, with whom I have worked, has a corporate box (too decadent to pass up)... I was going to start over the past weekend but pushed it off another day since it was so close. It was actually one of my engineers who turned me on to W30! He has done it for about 2 years taking and keeping 40 pounds off!

Have been sorta' prepping in little ways for the diet regime. I have been looking closer at and reading ingredients on foods more now than I have ever done. Stopped soda 2 weeks ago and and have switched to black coffee and tea in lieu of half n' half in the java.

It was (still is) cold and windy at ski areas over the weekend... folks who skied it told of cutting the days short due to conditions. Kudos to those who were up there! Living so close, I wait until more ideal conditions on weekdays if possible to avoid crowds... heard Copper was rather crowded. I am between Frisco and Breck back towards the Divide.

To make my W30 easier, I went with True Fare to make weekdays and shopping easier. Will fill in weekends with my own stuff from the grill as time will allow for that... will keep y'all posted on how it goes and look forward to hearing progress from both StackGrl and Angledge.

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I am on day 4 and it is interesting… not difficult, but moreover different.I find myself catching old habits and then correcting them.I had to move the chewing gum from my desk because it was a convenient go-to.I am reading every food label like a sleuth. Baked goods and treats in the office are the norm and was, in the past, grabbing a muffin or cookie as a non-thought snack.

Am eating MUCH better… more fruit and drinking perhaps twice as much water than I normally would.Will be rolling into my first weekend and I will need to be more careful.Am usually grilling some sort of BBQ’ing meat while sipping a whiskey or beer and enjoying the dinner with wine… I will need to identify any drink cravings and offset it with an alternative.I am used to relaxing and unwinding on weekends so this will perhaps be my most drastic change… even though it is now legal in the state, I do not partake so that is not an alternative.

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I am now on day 16! The last two weeks have been up and down! I was on a huge coke zero habit coming into this. Every day at lunch I left work to get outside and go get a Coke 0! That by far is the hardest craving to kick for me. I have pretty good days but its like I ALWAYS want one. I had prtetty bad migraines last week and my digestion was very slow to the party. LOL. Out of all the W30's I've done, this one seems to be the one kicking my ass. I prevailed though and continue to. My boyfriend always wants to chill after a day of skiing with a beer at the mountain. I tell him that I have no problem hanging with him if he wanted one but I have found that more people feel limited my whole 30 than I do.

Anyway, It's Tuesday and I've made it through 2 weekends now on w30 and two days at a ski resort. I pack food and use their microwaves. Pretty awesome actually. I feel better than when I usually leave Copper. The longer I go on it, the easier it gets to turn down non compliant foods or just keep going because im halfway. My sleep has been the weirdest thing. I wake up every morning around 330 am! Its the worst. LOL! Basically im getting enough rest to warrent my body to wake up but I am not having it.

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Congrats on making it past the half-way mark! I am glad to hear you kicked the coke habit (wait, that did not come out right..LOL)

That artificial sweetener crap, I have read, is really bad- far worse than the soda with real sugar. I too would enjoy a soda far more than I should, but I was buying the retro throw-backs that are made with real sugar. I find the taste so much better and the flavor reminds me of being a kid when those types were the norm. While it is still soda, I was enjoying them too much... one a day with my lunch. Kicking the soda habit for me is not a big deal.

You mention " .Out of all the W30's I've done,.. " -just how many have you done and why the multiples? This is my first one and overall I am not finding it all that difficult. I have readjusted it a little based on some fantastic feedback from the Moderators' advice. I did break one of the rules (I stepped on the scale after the first week.) I am not sure why it is recommended to not weigh one's self, but I was pleasantly surprised and more motivated to continue

I hear you about wanting a beer or something. This is one aspect that (while not hard to pass by) I am so used to winding down after work with a splash over my desired glass of spirit. It was especially weird not enjoying a drink while cooking. The cooking for me is pretty easy but basic but I need to prepare some of my own to compliment the True Fare compliant meals that I bought... so far it has been hassle-free and pretty easy.

What day over the weekend did you ski? Saturday was absolutely gorgeous up here and Sunday was fair until about 3 in the afternoon. While it has been a low-key winter I am looking forward to spring. Not looking forward to the time change this weekend...uhg!

Tell me more about your interrupted sleep. Are you by chance experiencing dreams (or more vivid dreams?) I am having a LOT more recently which primarily deal with my times back in high school and also related to my time in the service. Some are downright horrid nightmares that wake me. My heart is pounding so hard from the ghastly images that it is difficult to return to slumber. I wonder if the diet has anything to do with it. Perhaps I might ask it as a general question in the forums but am curious about your sleeplessness.

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We recently started and are just on our day 10. Being retired, we just started on the First of March, since we had grandkids around with junk foods the week before

We are finding the no energy thing to be quite a challenge. Yet the changes are rather small, except for the grains and the fact that we take care of Hubby's mom, who is not on the diet. So, Bread is in the house, but we are steering clear. We are looking forward to the hump side of this where we can enjoy the boost of energy. Any suggestions on snack foods. We are doing the veggies, but anything else? Thanks, CJ (in Montrose, CO)

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Congrats on making it past the half-way mark! I am glad to hear you kicked the coke habit (wait, that did not come out right..LOL)

That artificial sweetener crap, I have read, is really bad- far worse than the soda with real sugar. I too would enjoy a soda far more than I should, but I was buying the retro throw-backs that are made with real sugar. I find the taste so much better and the flavor reminds me of being a kid when those types were the norm. While it is still soda, I was enjoying them too much... one a day with my lunch. Kicking the soda habit for me is not a big deal.

You mention " .Out of all the W30's I've done,.. " -just how many have you done and why the multiples? This is my first one and overall I am not finding it all that difficult. I have readjusted it a little based on some fantastic feedback from the Moderators' advice. I did break one of the rules (I stepped on the scale after the first week.) I am not sure why it is recommended to not weigh one's self, but I was pleasantly surprised and more motivated to continue

I hear you about wanting a beer or something. This is one aspect that (while not hard to pass by) I am so used to winding down after work with a splash over my desired glass of spirit. It was especially weird not enjoying a drink while cooking. The cooking for me is pretty easy but basic but I need to prepare some of my own to compliment the True Fare compliant meals that I bought... so far it has been hassle-free and pretty easy.

What day over the weekend did you ski? Saturday was absolutely gorgeous up here and Sunday was fair until about 3 in the afternoon. While it has been a low-key winter I am looking forward to spring. Not looking forward to the time change this weekend...uhg!

Tell me more about your interrupted sleep. Are you by chance experiencing dreams (or more vivid dreams?) I am having a LOT more recently which primarily deal with my times back in high school and also related to my time in the service. Some are downright horrid nightmares that wake me. My heart is pounding so hard from the ghastly images that it is difficult to return to slumber. I wonder if the diet has anything to do with it. Perhaps I might ask it as a general question in the forums but am curious about your sleeplessness.

CQ, CQ ...Angledge- How are faring? Keep us posted of your successes!

I will check in over the weekend-

Best, frank.

4

4

Frank, I tried to quote the dream/sleep part of your message, it just quoted the whole thing. So, we are both sleeping soundly. My dreams are less fitful, I don't wake as often, and my dreams are more lucid. Hubby says he is the same as he was before. Does that help? CJ

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~...Any suggestions on snack foods. We are doing the veggies, but anything else? ...~

CJ... just hit the quote "+" symbol (plus sign) below a posters comment and it will be a live preview of that persons comment... you can ~ ...snip...~ if you want to focus on a particular comment and then write below it.

My snacks the first week were an increase in fruits, but from some advice here it was mentioned that I was eating too much (I know, sounds weird) but I guess upwards of 10 pieces a day is not within the intentions of the W30 plan. It was said that if I am eating that much fruit then I was not getting enough sustenance from the meals. So I am altering my snacks so that when I feel a pang it is to include more proteins. I just finished roasting a pork tenderloin that I will dice and whenever I need something in between it will be some meat. Last week I grilled a chicken and that was my "snack." Next week I might try another attempt at hard boiled eggs... can never get 'em to turn out right. I end up loosing half the eggs because it does not peel cleanly, I am sure it is the altitude.

Thanks for the dream comment. I am taking a closer look at my sleeping situation. I have been on CPAP machine for little over a year and it has helped immensely. I am able to think more clearly which allowed me to take the next steps toward a sensible diet plan. It just seems that since eating better that my dreams are MUCH more intense. Perhaps it is a coincidence.

Hoping to get back to good eating basics after the first W30 so that I can enjoy once in a while that wonderful Olathe sweet corn goodness this summer!

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I am not sure why it is recommended to not weigh one's self, but I was pleasantly surprised and more motivated to continue

A few reasons. First, this is not a weightloss diet and weightloss is not linear so the scale doesn't always pleasantly surprise and motivate people. We want you to concentrate on the non scale victories - are you sleeping better, hair skin and nails better, mood improved, better able to handle stress, no snacking etc... if you would like to take a look at an extremely comprehensive list of non scale victories that people have experienced on the program, google 'whole30 non scale victories' and you should get a pdf link. I would challenge you to take a look at that list, check off all the ones that apply and then ask yourself if you would have been as happy and motivated if the scale didn't say what you want it to say... would that have taken away from the joy and accomplishment of the other improved metrics? THAT is why we don't want you to weigh.

The scale is not a good indicator of health or wellbeing, it's a $20 piece of plastic that indicates gravity's effect on you in that moment, where non scale victories are measurable, specific to you and much more robust than a number on a scale. Also, like @ladyshanny says, you're not cattle, you don't need to be weighed.

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Thanks, Sugar- That makes sense. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks I am noticing differences already! Have made some adjustments based on great comments from the Moderators and others (I like reading the others threads to learn!) Biggest noticeable difference is being able to fit into the jeans that in January did not. This was the sign for me to do something. My goal is weight loss (because I do have excess to shed) as well as all the other benefits that go with it.

Thanks, frank.

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Where are my Colorado colleges? Hope you are still on track... it will be 3 weeks for me tomorrow. I think I might have unknowingly slipped in a small way last week, but not going to let it get me down... my relationship with food has changed in a good way and might go beyond the 30 day anniversary. This eating-good-food-diet is not really all that difficult... just different from previous habits, habits that are changing

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Hey Coloradoans! I'm up in Estes Park. Is anyone doing #SeptemberWhole30 ? This is my 7th or 8th Whole30, kinda lost track. I'm 2 year post-partum and still having trouble losing the weight and getting moving.

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Hi! I'm next month, you know the candy month! Hope you do well!! I'm here if you need encouragement! Hugs, CJ

This will be my 3rd Whole30.

Stats that have improved:

My "bad" cholesterol went down from 178 in Feb, to 80 in August!

My A1C went down from 6.7 to 6.6!

My weight went down from 287 to 258 since Feb!

I am no longer on 2 blood pressure pills and my bp is around 116/62!

The Dr's, heart, GP, & Pain, are all impressed and very happy we have made this lifestyle choice.

My next (3rd) Whole30 starts Oct 1. I am doing them Quarterly. Hubby is doing them Bi-Yearly. It is difficult, but we are managing. My kids are on another program, but they are clearly doing well, also!

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Hi Ginger, oops, I had to edit the last post, but do go up and read it. I'm so encouraged!!

Nope, no willpower here, hubby brought a candy bar to me yesterday, I'm down with a virus, but I thought that I would do the norm and eat it all. Nope, don't crave it anymore... weird, but good. I took a small bite last yesterday, but not had a craving since! But it will be Halloween... we will see, maybe I'll keep a stash for November...lol

CJ

With quarterly, I had to choose, Oct, Nov, or Dec. I chose Oct!! It gives me Thanksgiving and Christmas!! And it is weird to not have the sugar cravings anymore... 50+ yrs of those!! ;-}